Nightmares
by TriGemini Prime
Summary: The fourth chapter of the 'I Can't Do That' series. Kenya passes out, but what are the memories that haunt her/ And the real question, WHAT made her black out? Read and find out!


**Here's the fourth chapter of 'I Can't Do That!' Enjoy! And please, review!**

_"You piece of trash. I can't wait till you turn 18. I throw the biggest party."_

_Kenya cowers as her sister rants above her. Tears run down her face as she chants in her head._

"Crying only makes her angrier. Crying only makes her angrier."

_A sudden yank of her hair brings Kenya to her knees. A strangled wimper slips through her gritted teeth._

_"What are you crying for? No one is going to believe those crocodile tears. Its all a show."_

SMACK!

_ The slap brings undescribable pain to Kenyas right cheek. Jerking back, she feels the rip of her hair. Blood trickles down her arm from the gashes her sister gave her when she yanked her out of bed. All reason and thoughts leave as Kenya opens her mouth. _

_"Please. Stop. I didn't do it!"_

_Big mistake._

_A punch to her head send her crumbling to the floor. Black spots dance in front of her vision as the hoarse voice of her sister yells from above._

_" LIAR! Yes, you did! Shut your mouth or I'll do it for you."_

_Kenya sees a movement and looks up to see her mother._

_"Alice, what are you doing? Leave the girl alone." The old woman frowns at her daughter._

_"No, I won't! Thats what she wants. For one of you to stick up for her. I won't let that happen."_

_The nailed hand grabs her arm and yanks her to her feet. "Get up!"_

_Roughly forcing her to the basement door, Kenya finds herself frozen with fear. Running down the stairs, she trips and smashes her head against one of the oak steps. Scrambling up, she runs down and rounds the corner._

_And freezes at the dead end._

_"You piece of trash. You can't call this abuse, I'm saving my parents."_

CRACK!

_A hit from the wooden broomstick in Alice's hands lands a blow on Kenya's shins. "Owww! Stop! Please!"_

_"Shut up! It was a bad day when my parents adopted you. I wish I was there. I would of killed you myself."_

_Collapsing to her knees, Kenya raises her hands to protect herself from the blows._

_Alice rears back the stick and just before impact..._

"NO!"

Kenya bolts upright and nearly falls off the medbay berth. But strong arms grasp her and hold her close.

"It's okay. Its okay. I'm here. Your safe. I'm here"

Kenya whips around to see the worried optics of Orion. Still reeling in the throes of the nightmare, tears pool in her optics.

All of her shock floods away as pure terror fills her spark. "Don't let her get me. Please. Don't let her get me!"

Orion gathers the girl and rocks softly, trying to comfort the femme in his arms. Ratchet walks in and observes the two.

"Is she alright? Her brain waves were pretty hectic moments before she woke up."

Orion nods silently, caught between answering Ratchet and feeling the warm tears slowly run down his chest plates. Looking down onto the pain filled face off kenya his spark is filled with an un-familiar feeling.

Anger.

Anger at Miko for causing Kenya pain by bringing up her past in the first place. Anger at her sister, Alice, for causing Kenya the torment that would ruin her emotional life forever. And most of all, anger at himself for not rescuing Kenya when he first over-heard the abuse. In fact, he was a silent sentinel to _all_ of Kenyas horrors.

"Don't cry Kenya. If anyone hurts you, I'll kill them myself. I promise you that." Orion softly wipes away a shining tear from Kenya cheek. Slowly, ever so slowly, he brings his face to hers. **(Everybody: Oh, slag. Oh, slag. Here it comes!) **Even slower, ther lips meet in a buring inferno.

"Ahem!"

And as usual, there special moment is interuppted. By who?

Ratchet. Always Ratchet.**(Everybody:Aw, c'mon Ratchet! Give 'em a chance!)**

"If you want to make my job harder with making sparklings, go in a private room and frag each other! _Not_ in my med-bay!" Kenya looks up and lets out a sound that is caught between a laugh and a sob. "Okay, sure, Ratchet" Orion helps her off the med-berth and gives her a reasurring hug. Wispering in her ear, he murmurs softly. "Wait for me. I need to ask something first."

Kenya imedatly feels her spark heat up. Smiling secretly, she transforms into her human form and starts walking toward her room located at the back of the base. Once out of ear-shot, Orion drops his smile and sighs. "How did she black out? One moment she was cursing Miko out, another moment, she was dark in my arms? What's going on?" Ratchet shakes his head and closes his optics to collect himself.

"Kenya's tramatic experiences have caused her to be on guard about anything remotely close to her past life. So on guard, that if she thinks of her memories, her brain imediatly shuts down. Thats what happened." Orion frowns. "Defence mechanisim." Ratchet bends an optic ridge. "What?"

Orion glances up. "I said, defence mechanisim. Her brain is trying to protect her."

Ratchet frowns. "From what?"

Orion takes a breath. "From herself."

**Okay! The fourth chapter is a wrap! As of this posting, I am going on summer vacation. That means no internet access! So sorry!**

**But, heres the good news! I want some good revies when I log back on! So with that, have a good summer!**


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